Military Gay Ban Targeting Lesbians More Then Gay Men

"Women make up fifteen percent of the armed forces, so to find they represent nearly fifty percent of Army and Air Force discharges under Dont Ask, Dont Tell is shocking," said SLDN executive director Aubrey Sarvis. 

"'Dont Ask, Dont Tell' is often used as a weapon of vengeance against service members.  Women in particular have been caught in the crosshairs of this counterproductive law."

The total number of men and women discharged from the military under the policy rose last year to 627 - up from 612 the year before but still about 50 percent lower than before the war in Iraq began.

Nevertheless, SLDN says, many of those being discharged have special skills the military says are necessary in the war against terror.

Under DADT two people every day are dropped from the military for being gay.

In the 10 years that DADT has been in force more than 10,000 personnel have been discharged as a result of the policy, including 800 with skills deemed 'mission critical,' such as pilots, combat engineers, and linguists.